Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ***
payment has been made and a remaining balance of is awaitingwe are closing this complaint and if payment is not made in full within week we will re open the claim
Sincerely,
*** ***
Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2015/03/23) */
Owl Management, LLC is a highly respected, ethical property management companyWe work hard to keep things running smoothly for our owner/clients and their tenantsWe appreciate the opportunity to provide information regarding this
complaint
To clarify, this unit (3R) is heated by a boiler system, not a furnace system as stated by the tenantA new building-wide boiler system for this six-unit building was installed in early fall, 2014, at a cost of over $9,With a boiler system, the temperature is set on a building-wide basis, and the heat in each individual unit can be additionally controlled by adjusting the radiator valves in the unitThis is an important point which was communicated to the tenant many times
In response to complaints from this tenant, the owner of the building personally adjusted the building thermostat setting up or down more than times over the six-month period following the installation of the new boiler systemSometimes the tenant said it was too cold, other times it was too hotDuring the entire winter of 2014-2015, the building thermostat was set above degrees, with the temperature setting varying in efforts to make this tenant comfortable
To ensure that this unit was being heated properly, vendors and service providers visited the building times over the six months following installation of the new systemThey repeatedly checked the operation and efficiency of the system and found it to be in good working orderThere was no problem with the system's ability to deliver heat to unit 3R, and the radiators were in good conditionIn addition, some of these visits included improvements such as a new temperature monitoring system for the building, as well as preventive maintenance such as updating partsHowever, these were not done to "fix" the system's delivery of heat to Unit 3R, but rather to enhance the owner's ability to monitor service and prevent future problems with the overall systemThe building owner paid a total of over $for the service calls
While it was explained several times to the tenant that she can adjust the unit's temperature by adjusting the radiator valves in the unit, she seemed reluctant, or unwilling, to do thisInstructions were sent to her via e-mail at least three timesWe also offered to demonstrate and explain to her in person how to use the radiator valves, and she declinedShe insisted repeatedly that she knew how to operate the radiator valvesHowever, on at least two occasions that we have documented, following complaints that the unit was too cold, a vendor and an Owl Management, LLC employee visited the unit and found that some of the radiators were not even turned on
To make it easier for the tenant to make and understand adjustments to the unit's radiators, the owner paid to have adjustable steam release valves installed in the radiators in unit 3R on March These special valves provide the tenant with a numerical dial which corresponds to the level of heat desiredOn March 10, the tenant complained that the unit was too cold in an e-mail exchange with an Owl Management, LLC employeeThe employee visited the unit on March and found that two of the radiator supply valves were completely closed off, and two others were partially closedThree of the adjustable steam release valves in the unit were set at a level of only The warmest level is The tenant could have adjusted any of these valves to provide additional heat to the unit
While adjusting the radiator valves is the primary way for the tenant to adjust the temperature in the unit, Owl Management, LLC employees also noticed other ways to help maintain a comfortable temperature in this unitThe employee's notes from the March visit indicate that two of the windows in the unit were not set to the locked position, letting the upper pane slide down and creating an opening to the exterior which allowed cold air into the unitIn November, an Owl Management, LLC employee noticed a window air conditioning unit in 3R had not been removed, and suggested to the tenant that it be removed as another way to keep cold air out
Throughout the past six months, the tenant was treated respectfully by Owl Management, LLC and received prompt, attentive responses to her complaintsOwl Management, LLC employees patiently tried to explain how she could help make her unit comfortable by using the radiator valvesWe have records of respectful, professional e-mails from Owl Management, LLC sent to the tenant and her roommate over the time period in the complaint
We also have records of and invoices from the service calls to the property made in an effort to ensure comfortable heat in this unit and buildingRespected, well-known vendors who checked the system include***
The new boiler system was installed on September 24, The tenant's first request for monetary compensation was in an e-mail dated October 21, 2014, less than one month after the installationThere were seven additional requests from the tenant for compensation throughout the winterNo other tenants have requested compensation
Owl Management, LLC is a third-party management companyThe buildings we manage are owned by our clientsWe do not have the right to discount rent or refund rent without an owner's approval, since it is the owner's moneyThe tenant's requests for compensation have been forwarded to the building owner, and the owner has denied the requests
Previously, in the spring of 2014, this tenant received a rent credit from the building owner for inconvenience during the installation of a new air conditioning system in the buildingThis demonstrates that the building owner is willing to compensate when it is fair to do soHowever, she feels it is not warranted in this instance
In an e-mail dated March 12, to Owl Management, LLC, the tenant said the issue was resolvedIn the complaint filed with the Revdex.com the next day, March 13, 2015, we were surprised that she stated, " they still have not repaired the issue."
Owl Management, LLC works very hard to provide attentive customer service to our owner/clients and their tenants, and we know how important it is for tenants to be comfortableWe welcome any additional questions from the Revdex.com and will be happy to provide specific documentation to assist with the resolution of this case
Initial Consumer Rebuttal /* (3000, 7, 2015/03/23) */
(The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
Several of the claims the business has made are falseFirst & foremost, we were never treated with respectI had to personally ask the manager of the entire company to say the words "I'm sorry" & asked her if she lacked empathy for how little she showed that she caredWe were told on multiple occasions that everything was working fine, & we would still come home to a hot or cold apartment, without touching the knobs after their visitI feel that the company is trying to belittle me, once again, by claiming that I was unable to comprehend how to work the valves, when it is a matter of twisting something left or rightI am capable of doing so, as well as reading a numberThat was not the issueAfter the new valves were installed, an Owl employee told us that everything was functioning perfectly & that he himself went over with the technician to ensure proper heatAfter that, we remained in the cold for daysUpon his arrival with the technician following the weekend, he said that some of the knobs were offNeither my roommate, nor myself had touched them from the time that he previously left, stating that they were working properlyThat is why we never attempted to make adjustments, because that is what he had told usWhen in fact, he must have turned them off & left them off until he came back with the technicianRegardless of those few knobs that were off, all other radiators in the unit were cold to the touch, including the ones that were "on." It is beyond ironic that the heat issue was never resolved until the day after I submitted the request to the Revdex.comThe manager of Owl asked me if I thought it "magically started working all of a sudden" & I said yes, but that it was extremely ironic they made one final fix the day after I submitted a complaint & informed her that we were in contact with attorneys regarding the situationThey will still be used if this does not have the resolution we desireThe manager of the company also said that the extreme temperatures were due to "the changing temperatures outside," but there was one day in particular that their response to me saying that was too hot for an apartment, was to turn the system completely offThis was on Friday, Feb20, The temperature within our apartment dropped from to 60.1, all within one dayThat is not a direct result of the temperature outside, especially mid February in ChicagoAlso, there are several emails where company employees referred to the new boiler needing to be "fixed" as well as stating that they were going to have a technician look into finding a way to "install something to fix the system." For Owl to say nothing ever needed to be "fixed" is a blatant lieRegardless of what they put into resolving the issue, we still deserve to be compensated for what we enduredWe did not instill the misfortune of having no heat or too much in the midst of a Chicago winter on ourselvesMy other point is- if the whole issue was a matter of twisting a knob, why did the company have to spend thousands of dollars trying to prove that? Obviously the issue was real & lied much deeper than my roommate & I being "reluctant" to maneuver it properlyAgain, I feel disrespected by Owl at this point & their faulty claims that nothing was wrong throughout the duration of these six monthsWe still expect to be compensated for the extreme inconvenienceThe moral guilt can ride on each individual of the company, particularly *** ***
Final Business Response /* (4000, 9, 2015/04/02) */
Owl Management, LLC is a third-party management companyThe buildings we manage are owned by our clientsWe do not have the right to discount rent or refund rent without the building owner's approval, since it is the owner's moneyThe tenant's requests for compensation have been forwarded to the building owner, and the owner has denied the requests
At Owl Management, LLC we take heat complaints seriouslyWe do not assume a system is working properly or avoid sending a technician to check itWe rely on licensed, trained professionals to tell us whether the system is workingIn this situation, we worked closely with the building owner, keeping her apprised of the issues and securing her approval for expendituresBy paying for service calls to check the system, the owner was making an honest effort to respond to the tenant and ensure that the unit was comfortable
Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2015/03/23) */
Owl Management, LLC is a highly respected, ethical property management company. We work hard to keep things running smoothly for our owner/clients and their tenants. We appreciate the opportunity to provide information regarding this complaint....
To clarify, this unit (3R) is heated by a boiler system, not a furnace system as stated by the tenant. A new building-wide boiler system for this six-unit building was installed in early fall, 2014, at a cost of over $9,000. With a boiler system, the temperature is set on a building-wide basis, and the heat in each individual unit can be additionally controlled by adjusting the radiator valves in the unit. This is an important point which was communicated to the tenant many times.
In response to complaints from this tenant, the owner of the building personally adjusted the building thermostat setting up or down more than 10 times over the six-month period following the installation of the new boiler system. Sometimes the tenant said it was too cold, other times it was too hot. During the entire winter of 2014-2015, the building thermostat was set above 68 degrees, with the temperature setting varying in efforts to make this tenant comfortable.
To ensure that this unit was being heated properly, vendors and service providers visited the building 14 times over the six months following installation of the new system. They repeatedly checked the operation and efficiency of the system and found it to be in good working order. There was no problem with the system's ability to deliver heat to unit 3R, and the radiators were in good condition. In addition, some of these visits included improvements such as a new temperature monitoring system for the building, as well as preventive maintenance such as updating parts. However, these were not done to "fix" the system's delivery of heat to Unit 3R, but rather to enhance the owner's ability to monitor service and prevent future problems with the overall system. The building owner paid a total of over $4000 for the 14 service calls.
While it was explained several times to the tenant that she can adjust the unit's temperature by adjusting the radiator valves in the unit, she seemed reluctant, or unwilling, to do this. Instructions were sent to her via e-mail at least three times. We also offered to demonstrate and explain to her in person how to use the radiator valves, and she declined. She insisted repeatedly that she knew how to operate the radiator valves. However, on at least two occasions that we have documented, following complaints that the unit was too cold, a vendor and an Owl Management, LLC employee visited the unit and found that some of the radiators were not even turned on.
To make it easier for the tenant to make and understand adjustments to the unit's radiators, the owner paid to have adjustable steam release valves installed in the radiators in unit 3R on March 4. These special valves provide the tenant with a numerical dial which corresponds to the level of heat desired. On March 10, the tenant complained that the unit was too cold in an e-mail exchange with an Owl Management, LLC employee. The employee visited the unit on March 11 and found that two of the radiator supply valves were completely closed off, and two others were partially closed. Three of the adjustable steam release valves in the unit were set at a level of only 3. The warmest level is 8. The tenant could have adjusted any of these valves to provide additional heat to the unit.
While adjusting the radiator valves is the primary way for the tenant to adjust the temperature in the unit, Owl Management, LLC employees also noticed other ways to help maintain a comfortable temperature in this unit. The employee's notes from the March 11 visit indicate that two of the windows in the unit were not set to the locked position, letting the upper pane slide down and creating an opening to the exterior which allowed cold air into the unit. In November, an Owl Management, LLC employee noticed a window air conditioning unit in 3R had not been removed, and suggested to the tenant that it be removed as another way to keep cold air out.
Throughout the past six months, the tenant was treated respectfully by Owl Management, LLC and received prompt, attentive responses to her complaints. Owl Management, LLC employees patiently tried to explain how she could help make her unit comfortable by using the radiator valves. We have records of 47 respectful, professional e-mails from Owl Management, LLC sent to the tenant and her roommate over the time period in the complaint.
We also have records of and invoices from the 14 service calls to the property made in an effort to ensure comfortable heat in this unit and building. Respected, well-known vendors who checked the system include[redacted].
The new boiler system was installed on September 24, 2014. The tenant's first request for monetary compensation was in an e-mail dated October 21, 2014, less than one month after the installation. There were seven additional requests from the tenant for compensation throughout the winter. No other tenants have requested compensation.
Owl Management, LLC is a third-party management company. The buildings we manage are owned by our clients. We do not have the right to discount rent or refund rent without an owner's approval, since it is the owner's money. The tenant's requests for compensation have been forwarded to the building owner, and the owner has denied the requests.
Previously, in the spring of 2014, this tenant received a rent credit from the building owner for inconvenience during the installation of a new air conditioning system in the building. This demonstrates that the building owner is willing to compensate when it is fair to do so. However, she feels it is not warranted in this instance.
In an e-mail dated March 12, 2015 to Owl Management, LLC, the tenant said the issue was resolved. In the complaint filed with the Revdex.com the next day, March 13, 2015, we were surprised that she stated, " . . . they still have not repaired the issue."
Owl Management, LLC works very hard to provide attentive customer service to our owner/clients and their tenants, and we know how important it is for tenants to be comfortable. We welcome any additional questions from the Revdex.com and will be happy to provide specific documentation to assist with the resolution of this case.
Initial Consumer Rebuttal /* (3000, 7, 2015/03/23) */
(The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
Several of the claims the business has made are false. First & foremost, we were never treated with respect. I had to personally ask the manager of the entire company to say the words "I'm sorry" & asked her if she lacked empathy for how little she showed that she cared. We were told on multiple occasions that everything was working fine, & we would still come home to a hot or cold apartment, without touching the knobs after their visit. I feel that the company is trying to belittle me, once again, by claiming that I was unable to comprehend how to work the valves, when it is a matter of twisting something left or right. I am capable of doing so, as well as reading a number. That was not the issue. After the new valves were installed, an Owl employee told us that everything was functioning perfectly & that he himself went over with the technician to ensure proper heat. After that, we remained in the cold for days. Upon his arrival with the technician following the weekend, he said that some of the knobs were off. Neither my roommate, nor myself had touched them from the time that he previously left, stating that they were working properly. That is why we never attempted to make adjustments, because that is what he had told us. When in fact, he must have turned them off & left them off until he came back with the technician. Regardless of those few knobs that were off, all other radiators in the unit were cold to the touch, including the ones that were "on." It is beyond ironic that the heat issue was never resolved until the day after I submitted the request to the Revdex.com. The manager of Owl asked me if I thought it "magically started working all of a sudden" & I said yes, but that it was extremely ironic they made one final fix the day after I submitted a complaint & informed her that we were in contact with attorneys regarding the situation. They will still be used if this does not have the resolution we desire. The manager of the company also said that the extreme temperatures were due to "the changing temperatures outside," but there was one day in particular that their response to me saying that 79.9 was too hot for an apartment, was to turn the system completely off. This was on Friday, Feb. 20, 2015. The temperature within our apartment dropped from 79.9 to 60.1, all within one day. That is not a direct result of the temperature outside, especially mid February in Chicago. Also, there are several emails where company employees referred to the new boiler needing to be "fixed" as well as stating that they were going to have a technician look into finding a way to "install something to fix the system." For Owl to say nothing ever needed to be "fixed" is a blatant lie. Regardless of what they put into resolving the issue, we still deserve to be compensated for what we endured. We did not instill the misfortune of having no heat or too much in the midst of a Chicago winter on ourselves. My other point is- if the whole issue was a matter of twisting a knob, why did the company have to spend thousands of dollars trying to prove that? Obviously the issue was real & lied much deeper than my roommate & I being "reluctant" to maneuver it properly. Again, I feel disrespected by Owl at this point & their faulty claims that nothing was wrong throughout the duration of these six months. We still expect to be compensated for the extreme inconvenience. The moral guilt can ride on each individual of the company, particularly [redacted].
Final Business Response /* (4000, 9, 2015/04/02) */
Owl Management, LLC is a third-party management company. The buildings we manage are owned by our clients. We do not have the right to discount rent or refund rent without the building owner's approval, since it is the owner's money. The tenant's requests for compensation have been forwarded to the building owner, and the owner has denied the requests.
At Owl Management, LLC we take heat complaints seriously. We do not assume a system is working properly or avoid sending a technician to check it. We rely on licensed, trained professionals to tell us whether the system is working. In this situation, we worked closely with the building owner, keeping her apprised of the issues and securing her approval for expenditures. By paying for 14 service calls to check the system, the owner was making an honest effort to respond to the tenant and ensure that the unit was comfortable.
Owl Management was disputing this full bill because not all of the services in the quote were provided. The vendor did not bring and use an air machine as was described in the quote we agreed to. We also had to send a second (different) vendor out to finish the job and remove the rest of...
the wet/damaged drywall. In addition, Owl Management's policy is to pay all vendor bills within 30 days of the work being completed. This work was completed on April 20th, and the vendor submitted this complaint on May 5th. The vendor has been verbally harassing Owl employees and threatening legal action in regards to the bill.
Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ***
payment has been made and a remaining balance of is awaitingwe are closing this complaint and if payment is not made in full within week we will re open the claim
Sincerely,
*** ***
Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2015/03/23) */
Owl Management, LLC is a highly respected, ethical property management companyWe work hard to keep things running smoothly for our owner/clients and their tenantsWe appreciate the opportunity to provide information regarding this
complaint
To clarify, this unit (3R) is heated by a boiler system, not a furnace system as stated by the tenantA new building-wide boiler system for this six-unit building was installed in early fall, 2014, at a cost of over $9,With a boiler system, the temperature is set on a building-wide basis, and the heat in each individual unit can be additionally controlled by adjusting the radiator valves in the unitThis is an important point which was communicated to the tenant many times
In response to complaints from this tenant, the owner of the building personally adjusted the building thermostat setting up or down more than times over the six-month period following the installation of the new boiler systemSometimes the tenant said it was too cold, other times it was too hotDuring the entire winter of 2014-2015, the building thermostat was set above degrees, with the temperature setting varying in efforts to make this tenant comfortable
To ensure that this unit was being heated properly, vendors and service providers visited the building times over the six months following installation of the new systemThey repeatedly checked the operation and efficiency of the system and found it to be in good working orderThere was no problem with the system's ability to deliver heat to unit 3R, and the radiators were in good conditionIn addition, some of these visits included improvements such as a new temperature monitoring system for the building, as well as preventive maintenance such as updating partsHowever, these were not done to "fix" the system's delivery of heat to Unit 3R, but rather to enhance the owner's ability to monitor service and prevent future problems with the overall systemThe building owner paid a total of over $for the service calls
While it was explained several times to the tenant that she can adjust the unit's temperature by adjusting the radiator valves in the unit, she seemed reluctant, or unwilling, to do thisInstructions were sent to her via e-mail at least three timesWe also offered to demonstrate and explain to her in person how to use the radiator valves, and she declinedShe insisted repeatedly that she knew how to operate the radiator valvesHowever, on at least two occasions that we have documented, following complaints that the unit was too cold, a vendor and an Owl Management, LLC employee visited the unit and found that some of the radiators were not even turned on
To make it easier for the tenant to make and understand adjustments to the unit's radiators, the owner paid to have adjustable steam release valves installed in the radiators in unit 3R on March These special valves provide the tenant with a numerical dial which corresponds to the level of heat desiredOn March 10, the tenant complained that the unit was too cold in an e-mail exchange with an Owl Management, LLC employeeThe employee visited the unit on March and found that two of the radiator supply valves were completely closed off, and two others were partially closedThree of the adjustable steam release valves in the unit were set at a level of only The warmest level is The tenant could have adjusted any of these valves to provide additional heat to the unit
While adjusting the radiator valves is the primary way for the tenant to adjust the temperature in the unit, Owl Management, LLC employees also noticed other ways to help maintain a comfortable temperature in this unitThe employee's notes from the March visit indicate that two of the windows in the unit were not set to the locked position, letting the upper pane slide down and creating an opening to the exterior which allowed cold air into the unitIn November, an Owl Management, LLC employee noticed a window air conditioning unit in 3R had not been removed, and suggested to the tenant that it be removed as another way to keep cold air out
Throughout the past six months, the tenant was treated respectfully by Owl Management, LLC and received prompt, attentive responses to her complaintsOwl Management, LLC employees patiently tried to explain how she could help make her unit comfortable by using the radiator valvesWe have records of respectful, professional e-mails from Owl Management, LLC sent to the tenant and her roommate over the time period in the complaint
We also have records of and invoices from the service calls to the property made in an effort to ensure comfortable heat in this unit and buildingRespected, well-known vendors who checked the system include***
The new boiler system was installed on September 24, The tenant's first request for monetary compensation was in an e-mail dated October 21, 2014, less than one month after the installationThere were seven additional requests from the tenant for compensation throughout the winterNo other tenants have requested compensation
Owl Management, LLC is a third-party management companyThe buildings we manage are owned by our clientsWe do not have the right to discount rent or refund rent without an owner's approval, since it is the owner's moneyThe tenant's requests for compensation have been forwarded to the building owner, and the owner has denied the requests
Previously, in the spring of 2014, this tenant received a rent credit from the building owner for inconvenience during the installation of a new air conditioning system in the buildingThis demonstrates that the building owner is willing to compensate when it is fair to do soHowever, she feels it is not warranted in this instance
In an e-mail dated March 12, to Owl Management, LLC, the tenant said the issue was resolvedIn the complaint filed with the Revdex.com the next day, March 13, 2015, we were surprised that she stated, " they still have not repaired the issue."
Owl Management, LLC works very hard to provide attentive customer service to our owner/clients and their tenants, and we know how important it is for tenants to be comfortableWe welcome any additional questions from the Revdex.com and will be happy to provide specific documentation to assist with the resolution of this case
Initial Consumer Rebuttal /* (3000, 7, 2015/03/23) */
(The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
Several of the claims the business has made are falseFirst & foremost, we were never treated with respectI had to personally ask the manager of the entire company to say the words "I'm sorry" & asked her if she lacked empathy for how little she showed that she caredWe were told on multiple occasions that everything was working fine, & we would still come home to a hot or cold apartment, without touching the knobs after their visitI feel that the company is trying to belittle me, once again, by claiming that I was unable to comprehend how to work the valves, when it is a matter of twisting something left or rightI am capable of doing so, as well as reading a numberThat was not the issueAfter the new valves were installed, an Owl employee told us that everything was functioning perfectly & that he himself went over with the technician to ensure proper heatAfter that, we remained in the cold for daysUpon his arrival with the technician following the weekend, he said that some of the knobs were offNeither my roommate, nor myself had touched them from the time that he previously left, stating that they were working properlyThat is why we never attempted to make adjustments, because that is what he had told usWhen in fact, he must have turned them off & left them off until he came back with the technicianRegardless of those few knobs that were off, all other radiators in the unit were cold to the touch, including the ones that were "on." It is beyond ironic that the heat issue was never resolved until the day after I submitted the request to the Revdex.comThe manager of Owl asked me if I thought it "magically started working all of a sudden" & I said yes, but that it was extremely ironic they made one final fix the day after I submitted a complaint & informed her that we were in contact with attorneys regarding the situationThey will still be used if this does not have the resolution we desireThe manager of the company also said that the extreme temperatures were due to "the changing temperatures outside," but there was one day in particular that their response to me saying that was too hot for an apartment, was to turn the system completely offThis was on Friday, Feb20, The temperature within our apartment dropped from to 60.1, all within one dayThat is not a direct result of the temperature outside, especially mid February in ChicagoAlso, there are several emails where company employees referred to the new boiler needing to be "fixed" as well as stating that they were going to have a technician look into finding a way to "install something to fix the system." For Owl to say nothing ever needed to be "fixed" is a blatant lieRegardless of what they put into resolving the issue, we still deserve to be compensated for what we enduredWe did not instill the misfortune of having no heat or too much in the midst of a Chicago winter on ourselvesMy other point is- if the whole issue was a matter of twisting a knob, why did the company have to spend thousands of dollars trying to prove that? Obviously the issue was real & lied much deeper than my roommate & I being "reluctant" to maneuver it properlyAgain, I feel disrespected by Owl at this point & their faulty claims that nothing was wrong throughout the duration of these six monthsWe still expect to be compensated for the extreme inconvenienceThe moral guilt can ride on each individual of the company, particularly *** ***
Final Business Response /* (4000, 9, 2015/04/02) */
Owl Management, LLC is a third-party management companyThe buildings we manage are owned by our clientsWe do not have the right to discount rent or refund rent without the building owner's approval, since it is the owner's moneyThe tenant's requests for compensation have been forwarded to the building owner, and the owner has denied the requests
At Owl Management, LLC we take heat complaints seriouslyWe do not assume a system is working properly or avoid sending a technician to check itWe rely on licensed, trained professionals to tell us whether the system is workingIn this situation, we worked closely with the building owner, keeping her apprised of the issues and securing her approval for expendituresBy paying for service calls to check the system, the owner was making an honest effort to respond to the tenant and ensure that the unit was comfortable
Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2015/03/23) */
Owl Management, LLC is a highly respected, ethical property management company. We work hard to keep things running smoothly for our owner/clients and their tenants. We appreciate the opportunity to provide information regarding this complaint....
To clarify, this unit (3R) is heated by a boiler system, not a furnace system as stated by the tenant. A new building-wide boiler system for this six-unit building was installed in early fall, 2014, at a cost of over $9,000. With a boiler system, the temperature is set on a building-wide basis, and the heat in each individual unit can be additionally controlled by adjusting the radiator valves in the unit. This is an important point which was communicated to the tenant many times.
In response to complaints from this tenant, the owner of the building personally adjusted the building thermostat setting up or down more than 10 times over the six-month period following the installation of the new boiler system. Sometimes the tenant said it was too cold, other times it was too hot. During the entire winter of 2014-2015, the building thermostat was set above 68 degrees, with the temperature setting varying in efforts to make this tenant comfortable.
To ensure that this unit was being heated properly, vendors and service providers visited the building 14 times over the six months following installation of the new system. They repeatedly checked the operation and efficiency of the system and found it to be in good working order. There was no problem with the system's ability to deliver heat to unit 3R, and the radiators were in good condition. In addition, some of these visits included improvements such as a new temperature monitoring system for the building, as well as preventive maintenance such as updating parts. However, these were not done to "fix" the system's delivery of heat to Unit 3R, but rather to enhance the owner's ability to monitor service and prevent future problems with the overall system. The building owner paid a total of over $4000 for the 14 service calls.
While it was explained several times to the tenant that she can adjust the unit's temperature by adjusting the radiator valves in the unit, she seemed reluctant, or unwilling, to do this. Instructions were sent to her via e-mail at least three times. We also offered to demonstrate and explain to her in person how to use the radiator valves, and she declined. She insisted repeatedly that she knew how to operate the radiator valves. However, on at least two occasions that we have documented, following complaints that the unit was too cold, a vendor and an Owl Management, LLC employee visited the unit and found that some of the radiators were not even turned on.
To make it easier for the tenant to make and understand adjustments to the unit's radiators, the owner paid to have adjustable steam release valves installed in the radiators in unit 3R on March 4. These special valves provide the tenant with a numerical dial which corresponds to the level of heat desired. On March 10, the tenant complained that the unit was too cold in an e-mail exchange with an Owl Management, LLC employee. The employee visited the unit on March 11 and found that two of the radiator supply valves were completely closed off, and two others were partially closed. Three of the adjustable steam release valves in the unit were set at a level of only 3. The warmest level is 8. The tenant could have adjusted any of these valves to provide additional heat to the unit.
While adjusting the radiator valves is the primary way for the tenant to adjust the temperature in the unit, Owl Management, LLC employees also noticed other ways to help maintain a comfortable temperature in this unit. The employee's notes from the March 11 visit indicate that two of the windows in the unit were not set to the locked position, letting the upper pane slide down and creating an opening to the exterior which allowed cold air into the unit. In November, an Owl Management, LLC employee noticed a window air conditioning unit in 3R had not been removed, and suggested to the tenant that it be removed as another way to keep cold air out.
Throughout the past six months, the tenant was treated respectfully by Owl Management, LLC and received prompt, attentive responses to her complaints. Owl Management, LLC employees patiently tried to explain how she could help make her unit comfortable by using the radiator valves. We have records of 47 respectful, professional e-mails from Owl Management, LLC sent to the tenant and her roommate over the time period in the complaint.
We also have records of and invoices from the 14 service calls to the property made in an effort to ensure comfortable heat in this unit and building. Respected, well-known vendors who checked the system include[redacted].
The new boiler system was installed on September 24, 2014. The tenant's first request for monetary compensation was in an e-mail dated October 21, 2014, less than one month after the installation. There were seven additional requests from the tenant for compensation throughout the winter. No other tenants have requested compensation.
Owl Management, LLC is a third-party management company. The buildings we manage are owned by our clients. We do not have the right to discount rent or refund rent without an owner's approval, since it is the owner's money. The tenant's requests for compensation have been forwarded to the building owner, and the owner has denied the requests.
Previously, in the spring of 2014, this tenant received a rent credit from the building owner for inconvenience during the installation of a new air conditioning system in the building. This demonstrates that the building owner is willing to compensate when it is fair to do so. However, she feels it is not warranted in this instance.
In an e-mail dated March 12, 2015 to Owl Management, LLC, the tenant said the issue was resolved. In the complaint filed with the Revdex.com the next day, March 13, 2015, we were surprised that she stated, " . . . they still have not repaired the issue."
Owl Management, LLC works very hard to provide attentive customer service to our owner/clients and their tenants, and we know how important it is for tenants to be comfortable. We welcome any additional questions from the Revdex.com and will be happy to provide specific documentation to assist with the resolution of this case.
Initial Consumer Rebuttal /* (3000, 7, 2015/03/23) */
(The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
Several of the claims the business has made are false. First & foremost, we were never treated with respect. I had to personally ask the manager of the entire company to say the words "I'm sorry" & asked her if she lacked empathy for how little she showed that she cared. We were told on multiple occasions that everything was working fine, & we would still come home to a hot or cold apartment, without touching the knobs after their visit. I feel that the company is trying to belittle me, once again, by claiming that I was unable to comprehend how to work the valves, when it is a matter of twisting something left or right. I am capable of doing so, as well as reading a number. That was not the issue. After the new valves were installed, an Owl employee told us that everything was functioning perfectly & that he himself went over with the technician to ensure proper heat. After that, we remained in the cold for days. Upon his arrival with the technician following the weekend, he said that some of the knobs were off. Neither my roommate, nor myself had touched them from the time that he previously left, stating that they were working properly. That is why we never attempted to make adjustments, because that is what he had told us. When in fact, he must have turned them off & left them off until he came back with the technician. Regardless of those few knobs that were off, all other radiators in the unit were cold to the touch, including the ones that were "on." It is beyond ironic that the heat issue was never resolved until the day after I submitted the request to the Revdex.com. The manager of Owl asked me if I thought it "magically started working all of a sudden" & I said yes, but that it was extremely ironic they made one final fix the day after I submitted a complaint & informed her that we were in contact with attorneys regarding the situation. They will still be used if this does not have the resolution we desire. The manager of the company also said that the extreme temperatures were due to "the changing temperatures outside," but there was one day in particular that their response to me saying that 79.9 was too hot for an apartment, was to turn the system completely off. This was on Friday, Feb. 20, 2015. The temperature within our apartment dropped from 79.9 to 60.1, all within one day. That is not a direct result of the temperature outside, especially mid February in Chicago. Also, there are several emails where company employees referred to the new boiler needing to be "fixed" as well as stating that they were going to have a technician look into finding a way to "install something to fix the system." For Owl to say nothing ever needed to be "fixed" is a blatant lie. Regardless of what they put into resolving the issue, we still deserve to be compensated for what we endured. We did not instill the misfortune of having no heat or too much in the midst of a Chicago winter on ourselves. My other point is- if the whole issue was a matter of twisting a knob, why did the company have to spend thousands of dollars trying to prove that? Obviously the issue was real & lied much deeper than my roommate & I being "reluctant" to maneuver it properly. Again, I feel disrespected by Owl at this point & their faulty claims that nothing was wrong throughout the duration of these six months. We still expect to be compensated for the extreme inconvenience. The moral guilt can ride on each individual of the company, particularly [redacted].
Final Business Response /* (4000, 9, 2015/04/02) */
Owl Management, LLC is a third-party management company. The buildings we manage are owned by our clients. We do not have the right to discount rent or refund rent without the building owner's approval, since it is the owner's money. The tenant's requests for compensation have been forwarded to the building owner, and the owner has denied the requests.
At Owl Management, LLC we take heat complaints seriously. We do not assume a system is working properly or avoid sending a technician to check it. We rely on licensed, trained professionals to tell us whether the system is working. In this situation, we worked closely with the building owner, keeping her apprised of the issues and securing her approval for expenditures. By paying for 14 service calls to check the system, the owner was making an honest effort to respond to the tenant and ensure that the unit was comfortable.
Owl Management was disputing this full bill because not all of the services in the quote were provided. The vendor did not bring and use an air machine as was described in the quote we agreed to. We also had to send a second (different) vendor out to finish the job and remove the rest of...
the wet/damaged drywall. In addition, Owl Management's policy is to pay all vendor bills within 30 days of the work being completed. This work was completed on April 20th, and the vendor submitted this complaint on May 5th. The vendor has been verbally harassing Owl employees and threatening legal action in regards to the bill.